"Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness." (Luke 11:39) "Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also." (Matthew 23:26)
I am very familiar with religion that makes the outside look clean while the inside is 'ravenous and wicked.' I'm also familiar with religion that basically says sin is unavoidable so it's really not that big a deal when someone commits sin, after all, all they have to do is ask forgiveness. The former is all about appearances while the latter has forgotten the part about repentance. Yes, our sins can be forgiven, but we have to repent of our sin, not just ask for forgiveness. Repent means to turn away from. And there are some religious people who believe as long as no one sees, or knows, what they do, it's okay. They believe their secret life is just fine as long as no one knows about it.
We sometimes get so caught up in appearance that we forget about the most important part: the spiritual. Physical appearance is not going to get anyone into heaven. What can be seen will pass away, it is the spiritual things that are of importance. It's not about your clothing, the length of your hair, whether or not you wear jewelry or how stylish your clothing is. It's not about what you eat or drink. It is about what is in your heart and soul. It is about what you do. Out of the heart the tongue speaks. Out of the soul the deeds of man are borne. Do you speak love, life and light? Or do you speak hate, death and darkness? Do you act kindly toward others or do you abuse others and take advantage of them, or ignore them when you see their need? This is where true salvation is shown. Not in how you look, but in how you act toward others.
Every person Jesus came into contact with was a lost soul. A person condemned. Not one single person He ever came into contact with was saved. It was impossible for anyone to have been saved when they met Jesus, since He had not died and been resurrected, yet. It is in the way He treated each and every person that we find our instruction on how we are to treat people. It is in how He lived and behaved that we find the instruction on how we are to live and behave. He is our example. His life is our example. Are we following in His footsteps or are we trying to look holy, sound holy, yet live unholy lives?
I don't believe in religion. I don't practice religion. I do believe in salvation, forgiveness, grace, mercy and love. I believe that I have freely, and massively, received forgiveness, grace, mercy, salvation and love so therefore I must freely give forgiveness, grace, mercy and love and I must share the path to salvation with everyone I meet. I cannot save a soul; I couldn't even save my own soul, how would I save another soul? But, I know the One who can, and does, save souls! And Him I will share with everyone. The path to Him I will share with everyone. And while doing so I will act with forgiveness, grace, mercy and love toward them.
It is not by my deeds or actions that I am saved. I am saved by faith through grace and mercy because of love. My deeds and actions are my obedience to God's commands. Jesus died and rose again so that I might be saved and have eternal life with God, but in order to enter into God's Kingdom, I have to be obedient to His commands. His commands are simple: love others, do good unto others, help others and tell others about The Truth, The Light, The Way, Jesus. But, they are hard to do when the humanity isn't suppressed by the spirituality. It's very simple and it's very hard, at the same time. But, it's only hard if you do not let the spirit guide you into the perfection of faith. Surrendering everything to God is not an easy thing to do despite it being an easy plan. Total, complete surrender goes against everything the humanity in me wants. It is when my humanity is surrendered to the complete control of the Spirit of God that I find freedom.
